J21&JF KD&TN
                                           Katakana Alphabet ©The Japan Society & Japan Foundation, KD&TN
                 The Japanese katakana alphabet is a phonetic system which means each 
                                             Katakana Alphabet
                 symbol has a sound to go with it. You then group the symbols together to 
                 make words (much like you do with letters in the English alphabet). Japanese 
             The Japanese katakana alphabet is a phonetic system which means each symbol has a 
                 can also be written using the English alphabet by translating these phonetic 
             sound to go with it. You then group the symbols together to make words (much like you do 
                 sounds. This is known in Japanese as ‘romaji’ (literally, ‘roman letters’). 
             with letters in the English alphabet). Japanese can also be written using the English alphabet 
             by translating these phonetic sounds. This is known in Japanese as ‘romaji’ (literally, ‘roman 
                 There are five basic vowel sounds in Japanese – a, i, u, e, o. If you have a 
             letters’).
                 Japanese teacher, ask them to pronounce the sounds. Alternatively, listen to 
             There are five basic vowel sounds in Japanese – a, i, u, e, o. If you have a Japanese teacher, 
                 the soundfiles. 
             ask them to pronounce the sounds. Alternatively, listen to the sound files.
                 There are 15 consonants in Japanese, 14 of which can combine with the 
             There are 15 consonants in Japanese, 14 of which can combine with the vowel sounds to 
                 vowel sounds to make syllables – eg. s+a = sa, r+i  = ri, m+u = mu, h+e = he, 
             make syllables – eg. s+a = sa, r+i = ri, m+u = mu, h+e = he, t+o = to (listen to the sound 
                 t+o = to (listen to the soundfiles). 
             files).
                 ‘n’ nearly always come at the end of a word and will not have a vowel sound 
             ‘n’ nearly always come at the end of a word and will not have a vowel sound added after-
                 added afterwards. 
             wards.
                 The Japanese alphabet doesn’t have all the sounds of English, so ‘l’ and ‘r’ for 
             The Japanese alphabet doesn’t have all the sounds of English, so ‘l’ and ‘r’ for example can 
             cause difficulty. If your name had an ‘l’ sound in it, then you need to pick the nearest sound 
                 example can cause difficulty. If your name had an ‘l’ sound in it, then you 
             starting with an ‘r’ to represent it. Alison, for example would sound like ‘A+ri+so+n – Arison 
                 need to pick the nearest sound starting with an ‘r’ to represent it. Alison, for 
             ア リ ソ ン ’ . ‘b’ and ‘v’ cause similar problems, with a ‘v’ sound changing to ‘b’ in most cases: 
                 example would sound like ‘A+ri+so+n – Arison アリ ソン’ . ‘b’ and ‘v’ cause 
             ‘Vicky – bi+ki - ビキ’, although a representation of the ‘v’ sound has been developed and is 
                 similar problems, with a ‘v’ sound changing to ‘b’ in most cases: ‘Vicky – bi+ki 
             becoming increasingly popular - ヴィ , so Vicky would be ヴィ キ.
                   ビキ
                 -     ’, although a representation of the ‘v’ sound has been developed and is 
                                                  ヴィ                      ヴィキ
                 becoming increasingly popular -      , so Vicky would be       .
             If your name has a long vowel sound, then you can add a line to show that it is a long sound. 
             Lee for example would be ‘ri- リ ー’
                 If your name has a long vowel sound, then you can add a line to show that it 
                                                               リー
                 is a long sound. Lee for example would be ‘ri-    ’
             Look at the table below and practise the alphabet. Note that there are several exceptions to 
             the rules when it comes to how the symbols are pronounced.
                 Look at the table below and practise the alphabet. Note that there are several 
                 exceptions to the rules when it comes to how the symbols are pronounced. 
                  オ o エ e ウ u イ i ア a
                  コ ko ケ ke ク ku キ ki カ ka k
                  ソ       so     セ se ス su シ shi サ sa                                      s
                  ト       to     テ te ツ tsu チ chi タ                                 ta      t
                  ノ       no     ネ ne ヌ nu 二 ni ナ na n
                  ホ ho へ he フ fu ヒ                                    hi    ハ ha           h
                  モ mo メ me ム mu ミ                                   mi     マ ma m
                  ヨ       yo     エ e ユ yu イ i ヤ ya y
                  ロ ro レ re ル ru リ                                    ri    ラ       ra      r
                  ヲ wo エ e ウ u イ i ワ wa w
                                                                            ン - n
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ©The Japan Society & Japan Foundation, KD&TN
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               J21&JF KD&TN
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         J21&JF KD&TN
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 o e u i a  
                                                                                                                                                                                            o e u i a  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               go                                                                                                                                            ge                                                                                                                                             gu                                                                                                                                                     gi                                                                                                                                             ga                                                                                                  g
                                                                                                                                                                      ゴ go                                                                                                                                           ゲ ge                                                                                                                                       グ gu                                                                                                                                               ギ gi                                                                                                                                               ガ ga                                                                                                                                                       g
                                                                                                                                                 ゴ                                                                                                                                             ゲ                                                                                                                                          グ                                                                                                                                                   ギ                                                                                                                                                  ガ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                zo                                                                                                                                           ze                                                                                                                                             zu                                                                                                                                                        ji                                                                                                                                           za                                                                                                  z
                                                                                                                                                                      ゾ zo                                                                                                                                           ゼ ze                                                                                                                                       ズ zu                                                                                                                                               ジ ji                                                                                                                                               ザ za                                                                                                                                                        z
                                                                                                                                                 ゾ                                                                                                                                             ゼ                                                                                                                                          ズ                                                                                                                                                   ジ                                                                                                                                                  ザ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               do                                                                                                                                            de                                                                                                                                             zu                                                                                                                                                        ji                                                                                                                                          da                                                                                                d 
                                                                                                                                                                      ド do                                                                                                                                           デ de                                                                                                                                       ズ zu                                                                                                                                               ジ ji                                                                                                                                               ダ da                                                                                                                                                     d 
                                                                                                                                                 ド                                                                                                                                             デ                                                                                                                                          ズ                                                                                                                                                   ジ                                                                                                                                                  ダ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               bo                                                                                                                                            be                                                                                                                                             bu                                                                                                                                                     bi                                                                                                                                             ba                                                                                                  b
                                                                                                                                                                      ボ bo                                                                                                                                           べ be                                                                                                                                       ブ bu                                                                                                                                               ビ bi                                                                                                                                               バ ba                                                                                                                                                       b
                                                                                                                                                 ボ                                                                                                                                             べ                                                                                                                                          ブ                                                                                                                                                   ビ                                                                                                                                                  バ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               po                                                                                                                                            pe                                                                                                                                             pu                                                                                                                                                     pi                                                                                                                                             pa                                                                                                  p
                                                                                                                                                                      ポ po                                                                                                                                           ぺ pe                                                                                                                                       プ pu                                                                                                                                               ピ pi                                                                                                                                               パ pa                                                                                                                                                       p
                                                                                                                                                 ポ                                                                                                                                             ぺ                                                                                                                                          プ                                                                                                                                                   ピ                                                                                                                                                  パ
                                                                                                                                                           Some of the syllables can be further combined to make additional sounds. 
                                                                                                                                      Some of the syllables can be further combined to make additional sounds. 
                                                                                                                          Some of the syllables can be further combined to make additional sounds. Have a look at the 
                                                                                                                                                           Have a look at the table below – are there any sounds here that are in your 
                                                                                                                                      Have a look at the table below – are there any sounds here that are in your 
                                                                                                                          table below – are there any sounds here that are in your name?
                                                                                                                                                           name?
                                                                                                                                      name?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   yo  yu  ya  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              yo  yu  ya  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      kyo                                                                                                                                                                                                                           kyu                                                                                                                                                                                                                          kya                                                                                                                      ki
                                                                                                                                                                            キョ                                                                                                   kyo                                                                                                                     キュ kyu                                                                                                                                                                                                                       キャ kya                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ki
                                                                                                                                                      キョ                                                                                                                                                                                                                            キュ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           キャ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      sho                                                                                                                                                                                                                          shu                                                                                                                                                                                                                          sha                                                                                                                shi
                                                                                                                                                                            ショ                                                                                                  sho                                                                                                                      シュ shu                                                                                                                                                                                                                       シャ sha                                                                                                                                                                                                                  shi
                                                                                                                                                      ショ                                                                                                                                                                                                                            シュ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           シャ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      cho                                                                                                                                                                                                                          chu                                                                                                                                                                                                                          cha                                                                                                                chi
                                                                                                                                                                            チョ                                                                                                  cho                                                                                                                      チュ chu                                                                                                                                                                                                                       チャ cha                                                                                                                                                                                                                  chi
                                                                                                                                                      チョ                                                                                                                                                                                                                            チュ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           チャ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      nyo                                                                                                                                                                                                                          nyu                                                                                                                                                                                                                          nya                                                                                                                      ni
                                                                                                                                                                            ニョ                                                                                                  nyo                                                                                                                      ニュ nyu                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ニャ nya                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ni
                                                                                                                                                      ニョ                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ニュ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ニャ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      hyo                                                                                                                                                                                                                          hyu                                                                                                                                                                                                                          hya                                                                                                                      hi
                                                                                                                                                                            ヒョ hyo                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ヒュ hyu                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ヒャ hya                                                                                                                                                                                                                        hi
                                                                                                                                                      ヒョ                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ヒュ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ヒャ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   myo                                                                                                                                                                                                                          myu                                                                                                                                                                                                                          mya                                                                                                                      mi
                                                                                                                                                                            ミョ myo                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ミュ myu                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ミャ mya                                                                                                                                                                                                                     mi
                                                                                                                                                      ミョ                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ミュ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ミャ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ryo                                                                                                                                                                                                                          ryu                                                                                                                                                                                                                          rya                                                                                                                       ri
                                                                                                                                                                            リョ ryo                                                                                                                                                                                                                       リュ ryu                                                                                                                                                                                                                       リャ rya                                                                                                                                                                                                                          ri
                                                                                                                                                      リョ                                                                                                                                                                                                                            リュ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           リャ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      gyo                                                                                                                                                                                                                          gyu                                                                                                                                                                                                                          gya                                                                                                                      gi
                                                                                                                                                                            ギョ                                                                                                  gyo                                                                                                                      ギュ gyu                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ギャ gya                                                                                                                                                                                                                        gi
                                                                                                                                                      ギョ                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ギュ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ギャ
                                                                                                                                                                            ジョ                                                                                                            jo jo                                                                                                          ジュ juju                                                                                                                                                                                                                      ジャ                                                                                                            ja ja                                                                                                              ji ji
                                                                                                                                                      ジョ                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ジュ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ジャ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      byo                                                                                                                                                                                                                          byu                                                                                                                                                                                                                          bya                                                                                                                      bi
                                                                                                                                                                            ビョ byo                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ビュ byu                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ビャ bya                                                                                                                                                                                                                        bi
                                                                                                                                                      ビョ                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ビュ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ビャ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      pyo                                                                                                                                                                                                                          pyu                                                                                                                                                                                                                          pya                                                                                                                      pi
                                                                                                                                                                            ピョ pyo                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ピュ pyu                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ピャ pya                                                                                                                                                                                                                        pi
                                                                                                                                                      ピョ                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ピュ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ピャ
                                                                                                                                                           Here are a few more sounds – they are not commonly used in Japanese, 
                                                                                                                                      Here are a few more sounds – they are not commonly used in Japanese, 
                                                                                                                        Here are a few more sounds – they are not commonly used in Japanese, other than for loan 
                                                                                                                                                           other than for loan words which have entered the Japanese language. 
                                                                                                                                      other than for loan words which have entered the Japanese language. 
                                                                                                                        words which have entered the Japanese language. Perhaps there may be some sounds that 
                                                                                                                                                           Perhaps there may be some sounds that you use in your name? 
                                                                                                                                      Perhaps there may be some sounds that you use in your name? 
                                                                                                                        you use in your name?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ディ デュ
                                                                                                                                                           ウィ ウェ ウォ                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ディ デュ
                                                                                                                                      ウィ ウェ ウォ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ウィ ウェ ウォ                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      ディ デュ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            di du
                                                                                                                                                           wi we wo                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   di du
                                                                                                                                      wi we wo                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         di   du
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         wi  we  wo
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ツァ ツェ ツォ
                                                                                                                                                           クァ                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         ツァ ツェ ツォ
                                                                                                                                      クァ                                                                                                                                                     クァ                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ツァ  ツェ  ツォ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            tsa tse tso 
                                                                                                                                                           kwa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        tsa tse tso 
                                                                                                                                      kwa                                                                                                                                                kwa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          tsa   tse   tso
                                                                                                                                                           ヴァ ヴィ ヴ                                                                                                                                                                                              ヴェ ヴォ
                                                                                                                                      ヴァ ヴィ ヴ                                                                                                                                                                                              ヴェ ヴォ                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ファ  フィ  フェ  フォ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ヴァ ヴィ ヴ  ヴェ ヴォ
                                                                                                                                                           va vi vu ve vo 
                                                                                                                                      va vi vu ve vo                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  fa      fi     fe    fo
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          va   vi  vu  ve   vo
                                                                                                                                                           ティ
                                                                                                                                      ティ                                                                                                                                                 ティ
                                                                                                                                      ti ti                                                                                                                                               ti
                                                                                                                                                           ファ フィ フェ フォ
                                                                                                                                      ファ フィ フェ フォ
                                                                                                                                                           fa fi fe fo
                                                                                                                                      fa fi fe fo